Men's Swimming Signs Trio to National Letters of Intent

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -
UC Santa Barbara head swim coach Gregg Wilson has signed three men's swimmers to National Letters of Intent during the fall signing period it was announced recently.

Randy Aakhus will join the Gauchos after completing his prep career with Frontier High School. The Bakersfield, Calif. native swims for Bakersfield Swim Club, where he is coached by Keith Moore. An individual medley and butterfly specialist, Aakhus is a USA Swimming Junior National qualifier in the 200 IM. With Frontier HS, he was the 2009 CIF Central Section Champion in the 200 IM. Aakhus has also been named a Bakersfield All-Area Swimmer three times.

"Randy will be a really great addition to our team. He is a great athlete, student and all around good fit for the program," Wilson said. "He will help fill the voids left by our three graduating butterfliers (Danny McClary, Jon Kraetsch and Chris Wiggin) and will also swim IM for us."

Lucas Norman will come to UCSB from Capistrano Valley High School. Norman is a member of the Mission Viejo Nadadores where he is coached by Bill Rose. A middle distance freestyle specialist, he earned 2008-09 NISCA/Speedo All-American honors and was a USA Swimming Winter National qualifier in both the 100 and 200 freestyle. With his high school, he was the 2009 CIF Southern Section Division I consolation champion in the 200 freestyle.

"Lucas should really help us in the middle distance free events," Wilson assessed. "He has took some significant drops in his times last year and hopefully will continue to drop time this year."

Dylan Templeton hails from Alpharetta, Georgia where he attends Chattahoochee High School. Templeton swims for Dynamo Swim Club under the tutelage of Jason Turcotte and Rich Murphy. A butterfly and sprint freestyle specialist, he has qualified for the USA Swimming Winter Nationals in the 100 fly. He is also a two-time Georgia high school state finalist and two-time MVP for the Chattahoochee High School swim team.

"Dylan will primarily swim sprint freestyle and sprint butterfly for us," said Wilson. "He is tall and lean and I really think he will continue to grow and benefit greatly from our incredible weight program."

Aakhus, Norman and Templeton will join the Gauchos for the 2010-11 season.

"We are really excited about the signing of these three and are hoping to add three or four more swimmers during the spring signing period," said Wilson. "Combined with last year's very talented signing class (current freshman class), we should be in good shape for the next several seasons."

The 2009 men's swim season continues on December 3-5 when the Gauchos travel to Federal Way, Washington for the U.S. Short Course Nationals.